Collapsible goal

ABSTRACT

A collapsible goal includes two side frames assembled from multiple tubular members and three crossbars extended between the side frames to connect them to each other. Each of the crossbars is pivotally connected at two outer ends to the side frames via two pivots, and includes two symmetrical sections that are pivotally connected to each other via a knuckle. The knuckle allows the two sections of each crossbar to move into vertically parallel positions while outer ends of the crossbar pivotally turns about the pivots, so that the two side frames are pulled toward each other to collapse the goal into a reduced volume. When the crossbar is in a fully extended and straightened state, a sleeve slidably mounted on the crossbar may be moved to enclose the knuckle and firmly hold the crossbar to the straightened state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a collapsible goal, and moreparticularly to a goal having crossbars that can be bent at respectiveknuckles by 180 degrees to collapse the goal for convenient transportand storage of the goal. The crossbars also have respective sleeves toenclose the knuckles, in order to firmly hold the crossbars to a fullyextended and straight state when the goal is in use.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] There are many ball games, such as hockey, street hockey, soccer,lacrosse, etc., in which a goal 1 covered with a net 2 as shown in FIG.1 is used to decide scoring or as training means for such ball games.The goal 1 is usually assembled from several tubular members. Thesetubular members and some parts for assembling them, such as Velcrostripes, spring clips, screws, safety nuts, etc., are shipped in acompletely disassembled condition, and buyers have to take time toassemble these items into the goal completely by themselves. Once thegoal is assembled, it is normally kept in the assembled state and willoccupy a considerably large room, particularly when the goal has twowidely spaced side posts, causing inconvenience in moving and storingthe goal when it is not in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A primary object of the present invention is to provide acollapsible goal having crossbars that can be bent at respectiveknuckles by 180 degrees to collapse the goal for convenient transportand storage thereof.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide acollapsible goal having means provided on bendable crossbars thereof, sothat the crossbars can be firmly held by the means to a fully extendedand straight state when the goal is to be used.

[0007] To achieve the above and other objects, the collapsible goal ofthe present invention includes two side frames assembled from multipletubular members and three crossbars extended between the side frames toconnect them to each other. Each of the crossbars is pivotally connectedat two outer ends to the side frames via two pivots, and includes twosymmetrical sections that are pivotally connected to each other via aknuckle. The knuckle includes two connectors, each of which has aconnecting head connected to an inner end of each section of thecrossbar, and a spider coupling located between the two connectors toconnect at two ends to the connecting heads via pivot pins. The knuckleallows the two sections of each crossbar to move into verticallyparallel positions while outer ends of the crossbar pivotally turnsabout the pivots, so that the two side frames are pulled toward eachother to collapse the goal into a reduced volume. When the crossbar isin a fully extended and straightened state, a sleeve slidably mounted onthe crossbar may be moved to enclose the knuckle and firmly hold thecrossbar to the straightened state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The structure and the technical means adopted by the presentinvention to achieve the above and other objects can be best understoodby referring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

[0009]FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view of a collapsible goalaccording to the present invention in a fully extended state, wherein anet is connected thereto;

[0010]FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the collapsible goal ofFIG. 1 with the net removed therefrom;

[0011]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 2 with crossbarsthereof in a partially bent state;

[0012]FIG. 3A is an exploded perspective view of the crossbars in apartially bent state;

[0013]FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the crossbarshowing a knuckle thereof;

[0014]FIG. 4A is a fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 4;

[0015]FIG. 4B is another fragmentary sectional view of FIG. 4; and

[0016]FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the goal of the presentinvention in a fully collapsed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 at the same time, in which acollapsible goal 1 according to the present invention is shown. The goal1 is assembled from a plurality of different tubular members via varioustypes of parts, such as spring clips, screws, and nuts. A net 2 isconnected to the goal 1 in a simple manner by means of, for example,Velcro stripes 21.

[0018] The plurality of different tubular members for the goal 1 mainlyinclude left and right leg bases 11, left and right front uprights 12,left and right rear uprights 13, left and right top braces 14, and threecrossbars 15. A batting trainer 16 may be connected to one of the twofront uprights 12, and a baseball or softball may be tethered to thebatting trainer 16 as means for training batting. The left and right legbases 11, left and right front uprights 12, left and right rear uprights13, and left and right top braces 14 together form two symmetrical sideframes 3 of the goal 1. The three crossbars 15 are separately extendedbetween two lower rear ends, two upper front ends, and two upper rearends of the two side frames 3 to connect the latter together. With theabove structure, the goal 1 can stand stably for use.

[0019] The goal 1 is characterized in that the three crossbars 15 arepivotally connected at two outer ends to the two side frames 3 viapivots 4, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 3A. Each pivot 4 includes aU-shaped brace 41 connected to the side frame 3 at points to where oneouter end of the crossbar 15 is connected, and a pivot pin hole 42provided on each outer end of the crossbar 15. The pivots 4 areparticularly oriented so that the crossbars 15 would not collide withone another when they are pivotally bent at respective middle pointsinto vertically parallel positions, as will be described in more detailslater.

[0020] For the crossbar 15 to pivotally bend at middle point, eachcrossbar 15 includes two symmetrical sections connected to each othervia a knuckle 5. Please refer to FIGS. 4, 4A, and 4B. Each knuckle 5includes two connectors 53, each of which has a connecting head 52connected to an inner end 51 of each section of the crossbar 15, and aspider coupling 55 located between the two connectors 53 to connect attwo ends to the connecting heads 52 via pivot pins 54. The connectors 53and the spider coupling 55 may be made of a plastic material throughmolding. It is to be noted that the two sections of each crossbar 15 arepivotally moved toward each other via the knuckle 5 in a direction thesame as that in which the two outer ends of each crossbar 15 arepivotally turned at the pivots 4. As shown in FIG. 2, a short length ofsleeve 56 is slidably provided on each crossbar 15 to enclose the wholeknuckle 5 when the two sections of the crossbar 15 are in fully extendedlinear state. To effectively enclose the whole knuckle 5, each sleeve 56has an overall length no less than a pitch between two oppositeconnecting heads 52 on the same one crossbar 15. With the spidercoupling 55 connected at two opposite ends to two connecting heads 52via the pivot pins 54 to form the knuckle 5 and with the sleeve 56enclosing the entire knuckle 5, the two sections of each crossbar 15 areconnected together to provide the crossbar 15 good structural rigidityand strength.

[0021] Please refer to FIGS. 3A and 4A. A spring clip 57 is provided ineach inner end 51 of the two sections of each crossbar 15 with a keyprojected from a hole on the inner end 51, and a locating hole 58 isprovided at each end of the sleeve 56 corresponding to the projected keyof the spring clip 57. When the sleeve 56 is slide to enclose theknuckle 5 with the projected keys of the spring clips 57 on the twosections of the crossbar 15 engaged with the locating holes 58 at twoends of the sleeve 56, the sleeve 56 is firmly held to the two sectionsaround the knuckle 5 without the risk of easily sliding away from theknuckle 5. On the other hand, the projected keys can be depressed toquickly move the sleeve 56 away from the knuckle 5 to allow collapse ofthe crossbar 15 at the knuckle 5.

[0022] To collapse the goal 1, first move the sleeves 56 on the threecrossbars 15 to positions out of the knuckles 5, and then bend thecrossbars 15 at the knuckles 5 for the two sections of each crossbar 15to move toward each other. At this point, two outer ends of eachcrossbar 15 are pivotally turned about the two pivots 4 and the two sideframes 3 are brought to move inward until the two sections of eachcrossbar 15 are collapsed into vertically parallel positions, as shownin FIG. 5. The goal 1 is now fully collapsed to effectively reduce itsoverall volume for convenient transport and storage.

[0023] To use the goal 1, pull the two side frames 3 outward for thethree crossbars 15 to extend from the fully bent state to a fullystraightened state, move the sleeves 56 to enclose the knuckles 5, andengage the spring clips 57 with the locating holes 58 to ensure thecrossbars 15 are held in an extended, straightened, and firm state.

[0024] The present invention has been described with a preferredembodiment thereof and it is understood that many changes andmodifications in the described embodiment can be carried out withoutdeparting from the scope and the spirit of the invention as defined bythe appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A collapsible goal, comprising two spaced sideframes connected to each other via three crossbars separately extendedbetween lower rear side, upper front side, and upper rear side of saidgoal, each said side frame being assembled from multiple tubularmembers, including a front upright, a rear upright, a top brace extendedbetween and connected to upper ends of said front and said rearuprights, and a leg base extended between and connected to lower ends ofsaid front and said rear uprights; a batting trainer with a tetheredball being optionally connected to said front upright of one said sideframe; said goal being characterized in that each of said crossbars ispivotally connected at two outer ends to said two side frames via twopivots, and includes two symmetrically sections pivotally connected toeach other via a knuckle; each said knuckle allowing said two sectionsof each said crossbar to move toward each other in a direction the sameas that in which said pivots at two outer ends of said crossbar allowsaid crossbar to pivotally turns; each said knuckle also allowing saidtwo sections of each said crossbar to pivotally turn about said knucklebetween a first position, in which said two sections are extended to astraight line, and a second position, in which said two sections aremoved toward each other into vertically parallel state; and a sleevebeing slidably provided on each said crossbar for enclosing said knuckleand holding said two sections of each said crossbar to said firstposition; Whereby when said sleeves are slid away from said knuckles onsaid crossbars, said crossbars can be bent at said knuckles into twovertically parallel sections to draw said two side frames close to eachother and therefore collapse said goal to a reduced volume forconvenient transport and storage, and when said two side frames arepulled outward to straighten said three crossbars and said sleeves areslid to enclose said knuckles, said collapsed goal is fully extended foruse.
 2. The collapsible goal as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of saidpivots includes a U-shaped brace connected to said side frame at aposition to where an outer end of one said crossbar is connected, and apivot pin hole provided at each outer end of each said crossbar.
 3. Thecollapsible goal as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivots are sooriented that said three crossbars would not collide with one anotherwhen they are bent into said vertically parallel state.
 4. Thecollapsible goal as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said knucklesincludes two connectors, each of which having a connecting headconnected to an inner end of each said section of said crossbar, and aspider coupling located between said two connectors to connect at twoends to said connecting heads via pivot pins.
 5. The collapsible goal asclaimed in claim 4, wherein said connectors and said spider couplingsare made of a plastic material through molding.
 6. The collapsible goalas claimed in claim 1, wherein each said sleeve is movable on saidcrossbar and has an overall length longer than an overall width of eachsaid knuckle, such that said sleeve may be slid to completely enclosesaid knuckle when said two sections of said crossbar are fully extendedto said first position.
 7. The collapsible goal as claimed in claim 1,wherein each said sleeve is provided at two ends with locating holes,and each said section of said crossbar is provided in the inner end witha spring clip having a key projected from a hole on said section, suchthat said sleeve is firmly held to said crossbar around said knucklethrough engagement of said locating holes with said projected keys ofsaid spring clips in said crossbar without the risk of easily slidingaway from said knuckle.